Julia Louis-Dreyfus is a famous actress and comedian, best known for her roles in Seinfeld, Veep, and The New Adventures of Old Christine. Richard Dreyfuss is an Oscar-winning actor, who starred in movies like Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and Mr. Holland’s Opus. They both have similar last names, but are they related?
Contents
The Short Answer: No
Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Richard Dreyfuss are not related. They are both Ashkenazi Jews, which means they share a common ancestry from Eastern Europe, but their families have different origins and histories. Richard Dreyfuss is not Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ father, as some people might confuse due to the similar spelling of their last names. Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ father was William Louis-Dreyfus, who passed away in 2016.
The Confusion: A Twitter Mix-Up
The rumor that Richard Dreyfuss was Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ father started in 2016, when Julia won an Emmy award for her performance in Veep. In her acceptance speech, she tearfully dedicated the award to her father, who had died two days before. She said: “I’m so glad that he liked Veep because his opinion was the one that really mattered”.
However, some people on Twitter did not pay attention to the spelling of her last name, and assumed that she was talking about Richard Dreyfuss. They started sending condolences to Richard’s Twitter account, expressing their sympathy for his loss. Richard quickly clarified that he was not Julia’s father, and that he was alive and well. He tweeted: “I’m actually not Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ father. But I really appreciate all the concerned tweets” .
The Reality: William Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ father was William Louis-Dreyfus, a French businessman who was also an avid art collector and poet. He was born in 1932 in Paris, and moved to the United States in 1940 to escape the Nazi occupation. He graduated from Duke University and Duke School of Law, and became a successful lawyer and businessman. He joined the Louis Dreyfus Group, a global commodities trading company founded by his great-grandfather, and served as its chairman until 2006 .
William Louis-Dreyfus was married twice, and had three daughters. Julia was his eldest daughter from his first marriage to Judith LeFever. They divorced in 1965, when Julia was only a year old. He later married Phyllis Blankenship, with whom he had two more daughters, Emma and Phoebe. William was very supportive of Julia’s acting career, and often attended her shows and events. He also shared his passion for art and poetry with her, and donated millions of dollars to various causes and charities .
William Louis-Dreyfus died on September 16, 2016, at the age of 84, after a long battle with cancer. He left behind a fortune estimated at $4 billion. Julia paid tribute to him on social media, posting a photo of him with the caption: “I’m so lucky to have had him as my dad” .
The Conclusion: A Coincidence
Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Richard Dreyfuss are both talented actors who have made their mark in Hollywood. They also happen to have similar-sounding last names that are spelled differently. They are not related by blood or by marriage, but they do share a common heritage as Ashkenazi Jews. The rumor that they were father and daughter was sparked by a misunderstanding on Twitter, but it was quickly cleared up by both parties. The truth is that Julia’s father was William Louis-Dreyfus, a remarkable man who loved his daughter and inspired her with his art and generosity.
